Chapter 45 – Setting the Stage


Paine sat down next to her, watching the pain in Lenne's eyes subside. The strangle she had on Paine's arm relaxed. Closing her eyes, Lenne rested her head against the airship. Placing her arm gently by her side, Paine proceeded to fetch another length of bandage for her arm.

Enough blood had seeped out from the wound on her arm to stain the bandage wrapped around it red like wine. Using her fingertips, Paine carefully peeled off the old cloth. Lenne slept against her shoulder, her body no longer tense from discomfort—instead replaced with a restful, soft passivity. As the gentle desert wind crossed with Paine's hair, she couldn't help but be consumed by the thoughts and memories of Yuna. Though her goggles and mask hid her face from view, how Lenne carried herself reminded her of Yuna.

Seeing Lenne comfortable and asleep allowed Paine to go check on her other dear friends. On the other side of the Celsius, she located Rikku in the middle of a heated argument with her brother. She approached the pair, overhearing Brother lambasting her for running away in the middle of the night. All of them had been dumbfounded to find Rikku missing in the morning from Lulu and Wakka's home. Reading her note, Paine wondered what could have possessed her to run away. Wakka searched the entire island top to bottom looking for her.

"Ruf luimt oui ryja zicd mavd eh dra settma uv dra hekrd fedruid y funt uv aqbmyehehk?" Brother yelled, scolding his little sister profusely.

Rikku argued back. "E dumt oui, Gippal lysa du sa yht cyet fa ryt du ku pavuna ra aqbmyehat yhodrehk!"

Paine smiled. Watching the two of them duke it out made her feel warm and fuzzy inside, like how things used to be. In her mind, life returned to order, now that the remaining Gullwings were reunited.

Strolling up to Rikku, Paine put her in a headlock, giving her a nasty noogie. "How about less arguing and more hugging!"

"Ow, hey!" Rikku looked with cheerful glee into Paine's eyes. "Did ya miss me?"

"Now we're important to you?" Brother huffed.

Paine swatted her hand at Brother. "Of course we are. Pay no attention to him. But . . ."

"But what?" asked Rikku, flipping Paine a raised eyebrow.

"Just where the hell did Nooj and Gippal come from in all this?"

Rikku giggled and explained the whole incident. Throughout her tale of adventure, Paine folded her arms, intently observing Rikku's vigorous gestures. Taking on Bevelle guards, and even Shuyin himself inflamed Brother even more about the whole debacle. Rikku refused to diminish her proud tone. In the corner of her eye, Paine spotted Gippal and Nooj walking toward them.

Gippal slapped Rikku on the butt, aggravating Brother further. "Hey girls! And uh, Brother. Heh, what's up?"

Paine stepped in front of Brother before he was able to grab a hold of Gippal. "Well, Rikku just explained the little foray you guys had."

"Oh, did she?" he asked nervously, glancing over at Rikku. "That's cool. She's not such a dope anymore."

Nooj merely stood, shaking his head ever so slightly. "She may even have exceeded Gippal now. Perhaps we have a new leader in immaturity."

Paine couldn't help but crack out laughing, surprised by Nooj's uncharacteristic joke. "That's not hard to believe."

"Ahem!" burst Gippal. "Anyway, let's tell them what we wanted to do, Nooj."

Nooj smirked at his friend and explained the adventures he and Gippal went through before meeting up with Rikku. From the Farplane, they chased Shuyin all over Spira. Learning his plan piece by bitter piece, they uncovered his grand scheme. Long ago, he wanted to capture Vegnagun to stop the war between Zanarkand and Bevelle. For his love, Lenne, he risked his life.

In Zanarkand, she found him in the secret underground hold before he could steal their weapon. Acting hastily, he made a break for Vegnagun, but Bevelle soldiers gunned him down along with his lover. His spirit lingered and haunted the underground of Bevelle for many years. Eventually sealed deep in the recesses of Mushroom Rock, Shuyin was to be imprisoned forever—or at least until he dissipated from existence. Neither of those happened.

While incarcerated away in the cave, he discovered a mysterious sphere. It was the same one the remnants of the Crimson Squad found behind in the cave when they battled Shuyin's spirit. The sphere documented two unknown men traveling far into a desert. They arrived at a temple that held a secret part of Vegnagun.

Nooj determined Shuyin had never attacked, even when he stole Vegnagun because the weapon had not yet been completed. He needed what the men called the "second soul." Buried somewhere within Bikanel, Nooj hypothesized Shuyin's spirit used Baralai's body to track it down. The key to unlocking Vegnagun's true devastating potential lay somewhere beneath the unassuming dunes.

"Then I think it's obvious to where that temple is," noted Paine.

Gippal and Nooj merely stared at her ominously. She explained to them what the Machine Faction had revealed buried under the sand.

"That must be the temple in the sphere!" declared Gippal, smacking his fist onto his palm.

Nooj cracked a smile. "Where else could such a thing exist?"

"Well, let's get going then," Gippal announced, walking toward the hovercraft.

"Hold your chocobos, Gippal," said Paine, extending her hand out. "There's still a lot to do here."

"I'm surprised you actually came here, " commented Rikku. "I know how much you hate the desert."

Paine chuckled lightly. "Yeah, well, I don't enjoy the desert any more than before."

"Then, why'd ya come here?"

Paine sighed and reflected on that very slippery subject. "I . . . the Gullwings needed something. Staying in Besaid with absolutely nothing going on bored us to tears. At least this heated things up a bit."

"I guess I can't blame you. Tagging along with Nooj and Gippal gave me a distraction too."

Paine locked eyes with Rikku. She then conveyed a melancholy smile. Paine knew Rikku wouldn't be fooled by any façade, simply because she went through the same ordeal. With Yuna gone, the Gullwings were stuck in her passing. Paine never had the opportunity to talk about things with Rikku before she disappeared. The part of Paine that wanted to play big sister never got utilized.

She wrapped her arm around Rikku. "You know, I think you might be getting too smart for your own good."


The sun descended from its peak in the pale blue sky. As night came, the cool air soothed the ravaged camp. Nhadala, with her head and body bandaged and wrapped, cooked up some food along with Keppel, Nomma, and Brother for the injured. The stew tasted not what one would call high cuisine, but it would suffice.

The mess hall, or at least what remained of it, showed the signs of a fresh battle. Everyone tried their best to put things back together as much as possible. Awake and mobile, Rikku sat down next to Lenne and Paine at one of the cracked tables.

"Hello, Rikku," she greeted softly.

Rikku turned to face the woman who greeted her. She replied with a confused look, as she had never met her before. Yet, she knew Rikku's name.

Rikku scratched at her cheek. "Yeah, hi. Uh, do we know each other?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Um, Paine mentioned you to me before. I just assumed you were that person."

Rikku smiled her goofy smile again. "Oh, yeah that's me. Hey, she didn't say anything bad, did she?"

"No, not at all," laughed Lenne, waving her hand in jest.

Rikku stuck out her tongue at Paine. "Good! Anyway, what was your name again?"

"Lenne."

Rikku dropped the fork in her hand, splattering it onto the food on her plate. She knew that name well, but there could be no possibility that this woman was the same Lenne as Shuyin's lover. At least, her little brain couldn't fathom that in any sense of reality. Though doubt still lingered in her head, what were the odds of meeting a person named Lenne out in the middle of a digging camp in Bikanel? Out of politeness, she pushed the thought to the back of her mind the question, as she didn't want to be rude and pry.

"Are you friends with Paine?"

She nodded vigorously. "Paine has been very sweet to me. She seemed a little daunting when I first met her, but she's a warm person inside."

Rikku nodded. "That sounds like Paine. Soft on the inside, but tough and leathery on the outside."

"Excuse me," blared Paine, pressing her finger on Rikku's forehead. "Are you saying I have bad skin?"

The three girls laughed in unison and chewed their bland food served by Brother. Rikku made a teasing remark, causing Brother's already agitated mood to swelter to a boil. After some jumping and shouting, Nhadala hollered to stop making a spectacle out of himself. The Al Bhed diggers got quite a kick from his hysterical fit.

"I think a little humor could do everyone some good," remarked Lenne.

"Well, Brother is good for that," said Rikku, rolling her eyes.

Paine's smile beamed. "You're just as good for some humor. Must be genetics."

Rikku scoffed. "Don't compare me to him . . . even if it's true!"

Lenne giggled, placing her hand up to the mouth hole in her mask. "You two are both so funny."

Her boisterous smile shifted quickly to a frown, Lenne's laugh and gestures reminded Rikku so much of Yuna. The similarness of Lenne's calm demeanor weirded her out. Shaking her head, she refused to let her imagination get the best of her.

"I'd love to hear some stories of your adventures," Lenne said, gesturing with her spoon like it was an airship. "You've flown all over Spira. You two must have some incredible tales."

Glancing over to Paine, Rikku smirked while she chewed her food. Paine returned with a smile of her own before recounting the time she had to chase down a wild chocobo on the Mi'ihen Highroad along with Rikku and Yuna.

"I hated trying to contain that stupid bird," grumbled Rikku.

Paine groaned. "I'm pretty sure it ran me over at least once."

"We had it easy," began Rikku, "Yuna was the one who had to keep chasing it down. She never gave up."

"She got talking into helping, just like always."

Rikku's joyful smile turned melancholy. "Yeah, that's what I loved most about Yunie. She helped everyone who asked."

A solitary tear fell down Rikku's cheek. Her posture slinking, Paine reached out to take hold of Rikku's hand. She shook her head and used her other arm to wipe away the remnants of the tear still left on her face.

"I'm okay. I just miss her," whimpered Rikku.

Paine squeezed her hand a little tighter. "I miss her, too."

Lenne sat stiffly, her hands folded tightly on her lap, bearing witness to the sad exchange between the girls. "Um, I'm sorry for your loss. But it seems like you have a lot of great memories of her to hold on to."

Rikku took a moment to inhale and exhale deeply. "Yeah, I do. It's what I gotta focus on, and not the past."

"That's right," said Lenne, nodding her head. "I'm sure she would want you to move on and be happy."

Rikku's expression brightened. "Yeah, Yuna would. Thank you, Lenne."

A joyous cheer blasted from behind Rikku. She turned around in her seat to witness Brother singing karaoke with the other diggers. His disturbingly bad vocals and the hokey songs he chose to sing had the place in an uproar. His rabid dance moves only added to the hysteria. Rikku groaned, not wanting to admit that they were siblings.

"He's always quite the character," giggled Lenne.

Paine rolled her eyes. "Yeah, he's a piece of work alright."

Rikku shook her head vigorously. "Man, can't believe I'm related to that."

Lenne giggled again as if she was laughing at her as much as her joke. Rikku squinted her right eye, still trying to figure Lenne out. Rikku knew Paine didn't make friends with just anyone, so she couldn't be that bad. She tried to push aside these thoughts, but they would not relent.

She had to ask Lenne the question nagging at her. "So, just why are you here?"

Taken aback by her sudden inquiry, Lenne didn't answer. Rikku realized she acted too blunt towards her.

"Sorry, that was way too personal!" Rikku apologized.

"It's okay," said Lenne, shaking her head. "I came here because I was torn inside. Life got too overwhelming, and I got too narrowly focused."

Rikku stared at her, muddled in how she should respond. Lenne sighed. Her breath sounded burdened by the weight of something. A chill shot up Rikku's spine and popped a slight tear out of her emerald eyes.

Lenne continued, "With all the torment I was feeling, I . . . I ran away. I wanted to do worse, but I couldn't. So, I came here to be alone. In the end, I didn't really end up alone, and I'm glad for that."

"I'm glad you did decide to come out to Bikanel. Otherwise, we would never have met," spoke Paine, flashing a warm smile at Lenne.

Nodding, Lenne leaned back in her seat. "No, that's true, and I'm glad as well. Nhdala, Keppel, Nomma, Rikku, you . . . you've brought happiness back into my life. You're all such wonderful people."

"Aw, thanks." Rikku blushed.

The animalistic noises which constituted Brother's singing had quieted by now. Glancing around, Rikku noticed most of the workers had retired for the night. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Gippal conversing with Nhadala next to the hovercraft. She tried to read their lips, but from her distance in the darkness, she couldn't make out what they were saying.

"It's been a long day. I'm gonna head to bed," said Rikku abruptly before walking out of the tent.

Slinking through the shadows, Rikku tip-toed her way across the sand to approach Gippal and Nhadala. A large cloud moved in front of the rising moon above, temporarily blocking its light. Deeper darkness cloaked the ground below, offering Rikku the subterfuge she desires. She got down on her hands and knees and crawled toward the back end of the hovercraft. By the time Rikku poked her head around the corner, Nhadala stood with her hands firmly placed against her hips.

"I understand you wanted to help Spira, but why did you leave without notifying anyone?" questioned Nhadala, her voice stern.

Gippal closed his eyes and lowered his head, still keeping his trademark brash smile. "It was more than just Vegnagun. It was also about my friends and my past."

Her expression quickly grew cross. "What's next then for us?

"Well, I have no plans on breaking this shindig up, if that's what you're eluding to. I run a fine business for the Al Bhed. It would be a shame to end that now."

Nhadala's stance eased up. "I would certainly hope not. I've put a lot of sweat and tears into this operation out here myself."

"And you've done a fabulous job," replied Gippal with a grin.

Nhadala folded her arms. "But this isn't just about making gil. It's also about removing the stigma around machina."

"It will, with time." Gippal nodded his head, tipping his head up to look at the sky. "Believe me, I won't lose sight of that. I've got some friends to worry about first though."

Chuckling to herself, Nhadala stepped closer to Gippal, kissing him on the cheek. "You always were the hopeless romantic type."

Brushing the back of his blond hair with his hand, Gippal smiled at Nhadala and walked away without speaking a word. Rikku tucked herself back behind the hovercraft. Her eyes fixated on Gippal as he walked back toward the tents, disappearing into the night. For a moment, her focus moved back to Nhadala, who stood watching Gippal leave as well. Rikku curled her hands into fists, her eyes narrowing. Her eyes didn't leave Nhadala until she receded away into the darkness.

Punching the sand below, she growled, "What was that all about?"


As the dawn of another day broke, the newly reformed Gullwings set out with Nhadala, Gippal, and Nooj back to the temple. This time, they took the Celsius. In the distance, Rikku watched the temple appear in view, distorted by heat haze. Standing by the windows of the cabin, Rikku observed the temple grow in stature as they closed in on it. At first, she was surprised by how bland the sandstone appeared, forming a blocky blob jutting from the desert. The closer the Celsius' approach became, the more intricate details of the temple Rikku could make out.

Upon landing, she followed the crew to the entrance previously made. Gippal and Nooj stayed outside to examine the carvings around the entrance. Brother and Buddy kept watch over the Celsius. Dark spaces and mildewed air greeted Rikku upon entry to the ancient structure. She sneezed, perturbed by the mustiness of the temple. She first passed by the room with the giant engraving. Taking a peek in, Rikku examined the stonework.

The crooked lines and swirling patterns were all abstract to her. Taking a few more moments to further examine the puzzle, she believed it had to mean something—not that she could figure out what that something was. By the time she gave up trying to decipher the meaning behind the stonework, the rest of the team had moved on. Scurrying to catch up, she saw them crowded in front of a monstrous, stone double door.

"Why's everyone stopped?" Rikku asked, glancing curiously at the team of diggers.

Paine tapped the door with her sword, activating a jade glyph. "That's why. For some reason, this room is sealed."

Before Rikku could respond, a sudden quake from the ground sent her falling to the ground. The stone floor below cracked from its rumbling force. Flickers of light danced around the hallway as everyone dropped their flashlights, obscuring most of the corridor in darkness. Rikku noticed Lenne stumbling forward toward the doors. Reaching her hand out aimlessly, Lenne palmed the door, and the glyph reappeared. A whooshing sound echoed around the hallway. Rikku fumbled around on the ground and lost sight of Lenne in the darkness.

Finally, the vibrations paused, allowing everyone to get back to their feet. Paine picked her fallen sword off the ground. Rikku helped Nhadala up from the floor.

"Oh man, what was that?" Rikku questioned.

"More tremors. This can't be good," Nhadala answered, her voice flooded with concern. "Perhaps it's too dangerous to be down here."

Paine noticed her about to take off for the surface. "Hold up, Nhadala. That quake felt different than the one before."

Suddenly Rikku blurted, "Um, hey! Where's Lenne?"

Looking amongst the group, Lenne was nowhere to be found. Rikku shuffled around the hall before retracing her steps back to the double door. She stumbled over the void, which she barely saved herself from plummeting down. Regaining her balance, she crouched over it, peering downwards. Even with her flashlight, all she could make out was darkness.

"Do you think she fell down there?" asked Nhadala with wide eyes.

Paine shot her eyes back at her, although Nhadala already knew what she was going to say. "There's only one way to find out."

"Nhadala! Are you guys alright?" yelled Gippal as Nhadala readied herself to jump into the void.

Nooj hobbled up as fast as he could. "Part of the temple caved in. We rushed in as soon as we could."

"We're fine," Nhadala explained, still readying herself to jump. "But Lenne fell down here we believe. We need to find her."

Without another word, she slid herself into the hole. Gippal and Nooj stood still and gazed at each other before looking at the void. With a gulp, Gippal closed his eyes and dove in. Nooj sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Things are never simple . . ."

Following right behind Nooj, Paine hopped into the void's entryway.

"I got a bad feeling about this," whispered Rikku.

Into the flightless void, she jumped. For a moment, her stomach felt like it launched up into her throat before her body thumped down on a winding slide. Rikku screamed from the increasing speed at which she slid. She clamped her eyes shut until the slide dumped her off onto a patch of grass. She yelped when her bottom touched down on the ground. She peeked open her eyes.

In front of her, Nhadala and Gippal had already reached the other side, with Nooj trailing close behind. With mere footsteps, she entered a universe completely transposed from the one she had stood in just moments before. Spiraled clusters of pyreflies flickered rapidly around her. The sound of a waterfall trickled in the distance. The ethereal haze of the blackened sky above warped Rikku's senses.

Clenching her hands into fists, she braved the unknown before her and walked forward. While she couldn't comprehend her surroundings, Rikku realized she had been ushered away to the Farplane. Gippal swiped out with his hand, whooshing away a cluster of pyreflies lighting up his face. Paine gazed around, unable to describe the wondrous environment surrounding her.

"Creepy!" gasped Rikku. "So this is the Farplane."

Nooj searched around, the swarms of pyreflies reflecting in his glasses. "The place where the dead come to rest. The subtle beauty in it amazes me still."

As gallant and tremendous as it was described to her, seeing it with her own eyes struck Rikku. All around her, pyreflies danced through the fields of flowers. A rainbow of auroras glowed, providing color to the midnight backdrop of the sky. Rikku thought, did Yuna rest here somewhere? She wondered in the back of her mind if she could see Yuna, although the idea still weirded her out.

"You've come even here to interfere with me!" shot a voice from above them.

Darting her attention to the direction of the voice, Rikku spotted a silvery-haired figure on top of the crest of a hill in front of her. Baralai stood rigid, pointing his finger at them. Gippal shifted his body forward, held back from darting for him by Nooj. Fixated on the transparent image of a spectral man entwined with Baralai's body, Rikku felt her entire body shutter.

Baralai's mouth began to move with a harsh sentiment. "Your foolish attempts to stop me end now! I will reclaim the full soul of Vegnagun, and Spira will pay for its sins!"